A senior former police officer of the rank of IPS (Indian Police Service) has been charge-sheeted by investigation authorities in Pune, Maharashtra (India) for stealing cryptocurrencies, namely Bitcoins. The police has filed over 4000 pages charge-sheet against the former IPS officer, Mr. Ravindra Patil and one Pankaj Ghode, a cyber expert, in local court for stealing cryptocurrencies during a case investigation pertaining to crypto crime.
According to report in Outlook magazine, Patil and Ghode fraudulently transferred cryptocurrencies to their own accounts while investigating criminal cases involving crypto fraud.
Ravindra Patil had taken voluntary retirement from IPS. He and Pankaj Ghode were engaged for providing assistance in two crypto fraud cases as investigation required technical knowhow. During investigation, Ravindra Patil surreptitiously transferred some cryptocurrencies, which was a case property, to his own account while Pankaj Ghode fabricated a screenshot on computer showing manipulated figures of crypto currencies.
In the year 2018, they were hired by investigation authorities to provide technical assistance in investigation of two cases of Bitcoin related frauds. How during investigation, they misused the data collected by the investigation authorities to their own advantage and by using their cyber expertise, transferred the crypto-coins worth crores.
The case was registered against them in March 2022 when the fraud came to knowledge of senior police officers. Now after investigation, charge-sheet also known as Investigation Report, has been filed in court.
A few days back, there was another report of Bitcoin related fraud from India where $ 12 millions were looted in a Ponzi scheme in the name of some Russian oil company and Bitcoins.
